On September 1st, Aleh Hulak Would Have Celebrated His 56th Birthday

Aleh Hulak was a Belarusian human rights defender and the Head of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee. On December 16, 2022, the Belarusian and international human rights community was deeply saddened by the news of his passing. He would have turned 56 on September 1st.

Aleh Hulak was born on September 1, 1967 in the village of Zhilichi, Mogilev region, to a family of teachers.. In 1984, he graduated from school with honors and enrolled in the Law Faculty at BSU. In 1996, he joined the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, and in 2008, he assumed the role of its chairman. As a public advocate, he took part in numerous court cases and public initiatives aimed at safeguarding the rights of individuals who had fallen victim to human rights violations in Belarus. Our project had the privilege of inviting him as an expert on human rights matters on multiple occasions.

Six months after Aleh's passing, our project approached lawyers and asked them to share their memories of him. We invite you once more to reflect on the profound impact of the individual whom Belarusian society and the human rights movement mourn the loss of: “And, despite the challenges we face, a person can still walk a path that is straight, broad, and honorable!”